Hip Mobility Drills That Improve Squat and Deadlift Performance

Daniel Lopez
4 days ago
3 min read

If your squat stalls at depth or your deadlift feels stiff off the floor, the issue often isn’t strength; it’s hip mobility. The hips sit at the center of both lifts, acting as the bridge between force production and force transfer. When hip motion is limited, your body compensates with lumbar flexion, knee collapse, or excessive forward lean; none of which help performance or longevity.

The goal of mobility work isn’t just “getting looser.” It’s earning usable range of motion you can control under load. Below are practical, high-return hip mobility drills that directly improve squat and deadlift mechanics.

Why Hip Mobility Matters for Squats & Deadlifts

Strong hips need to do three things well:

Flex deeply (bottom of a squat)
Externally rotate (knee tracking, depth, stability)
Extend powerfully (standing up with the bar)

If mobility is lacking, you’ll often see:

Butt wink at depth
Knees collapsing inward
Difficulty maintaining a neutral spine
Bar drifting away from the body in the deadlift

Good hip mobility allows better positioning, stronger force output, and safer loading.

1. 90/90 Hip Rotations

Targets: internal & external rotation

This drill restores rotational capacity at the hip—critical for hitting depth without compensation.

How to do it

Sit on the floor with both knees bent at 90°
Rotate both knees side to side without using your hands
Stay tall through the torso

Why it helps

Improves squat depth
Enhances knee tracking
Reduces torque stress on the lower back

Prescription: 2–3 sets of 6–10 slow transitions

2. Hip Flexor Stretch with Posterior Pelvic Tilt

Targets: hip flexors, anterior capsule

Tight hip flexors limit hip extension, forcing compensation during deadlifts and lockouts.

How to do it

Half-kneeling position
Light glute squeeze on the down knee
Tuck the pelvis before gently shifting forward

Why it helps

Improves deadlift lockout
Reduces anterior pelvic tilt
Allows better glute engagement

Prescription: 2 sets of 30–45 seconds per side

3. Frog Stretch with Active Pulses

Targets: adductors, internal rotation

Adductor mobility is essential for maintaining knee position and balance at the bottom of a squat.

How to do it

Knees wide, feet out, elbows on the floor
Sit hips back gently
Add small pulses in and out of range

Why it helps

Improves bottom-position stability
Reduces knee cave
Enhances sumo and wide-stance deadlifts

Prescription: 1–2 sets of 30–60 seconds with controlled pulses

4. Deep Squat Pry

Targets: hip capsule, groin, ankle-hip coordination

This drill blends mobility with position awareness—ideal before squatting.

How to do it

Hold a light kettlebell or dumbbell
Sink into a deep squat
Gently pry hips side to side with elbows inside knees

Why it helps

Reinforces squat depth
Improves torso positioning
Builds confidence at the bottom

Prescription: 1–2 sets of 20–40 seconds

5. Hip Airplanes

Targets: active hip control & stability

Mobility without control doesn’t transfer. Hip airplanes teach your body to own range of motion.

How to do it

Balance on one leg, hinge forward
Rotate pelvis open and closed slowly
Keep spine neutral and hips level

Why it helps

Improves single-leg stability
Enhances deadlift control
Reduces asymmetries

Prescription: 2–3 sets of 3–6 reps per side (slow and controlled)

How to Program Hip Mobility Effectively

Before lifting

Focus on dynamic drills (90/90s, squat pries)
5–8 minutes total

After lifting or off days

Longer holds and control work (frog stretch, hip airplanes)
8–12 minutes

Key rule:

If a drill doesn’t improve how the lift feels, it doesn’t belong in your program.

Final Takeaway

Hip mobility isn’t about chasing flexibility—it’s about unlocking better positions so strength can show up. When the hips move well, squats feel smoother, deadlifts feel stronger, and the lower back stops doing work it was never designed to handle.

Build mobility you can control, and your lifts will follow.